Thank You
by Kalum16
Summary: Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps didn't like each other...At first...Here are their words on their story, and how they affected each other's lives.
1. Chapter 1

I learned how cruel the world was cruel when I was a pup. When my dreams were beaten out of my brain and left bleeding on the cold ground outside the Junior Ranger Scout building. You'd think what hurt most were the bruises my _friends_ had imprinted on my body, or the pain of how the muzzle that was strapped onto my face dug into my skin, drawing blood that flowed down my cheeks, mixing with my tears.

But they weren't.

What hurt the most were the words. How they said my species name like it was poison. I had believed that I had found a pack, a group that didn't care what I was and could see past my species and allow me to be part of them. Heh… I really was dumber than I looked.

After that day… I don't know. Something… Snapped! I decided to live my life acting like how I was expected to act. Like a Predator. It killed me, at first, living like the thing I had wanted to prove I wasn't. But I had already let myself be hurt once, and there was no way I was going to let it happen again.

I wasn't going to let anyone see that they got to me.

The years went by, and my façade continued. I spent each day humiliating animal after animal, preferably prey animals, conning them out of their money and building myself on the words they spat at me.

" _Mongrel!"_

" _Scum!"_

" _Dirty Fox!"_

" _Thieving Predator!"_

Every word was met with the same reply: " _What did you expect from a fox?"_

And so I went on living. Each day bringing in more money, making more enemies, and building up the things that kept me living in this shithole city.

The Pride.

The Money.

The Shame.

Yeah… I was doing great! Living my lie and hiding away my true self. The fox that this world despised without even knowing.

Then _she_ showed up.

She was meant to be nothing more than a naïve bunny. Another animal that got to see the lying fox that this city had shaped. But… I really had underestimated this Meter Maid.

This Meter Maid… This animal had gotten me wrapped around her finger. She was the one creature that had ever tricked me. Humiliated me! This delusional bunny that actually thought she was a real cop! With the clown car that the force had given her, I was surprised she hadn't figured out that she was doomed from the very minute she put on that vest. And she actually expected me to help her!

Oh I helped her all right.

I took every opportunity I had to slow down this 'case' that she was so bent on solving. Hell, I was doing her a favour. Better she realize her place at the bottom of the food chain, sooner than later.

Than… she helped me… Twice in fact.

Despite how I treated her, how I'd held her back, she saved me from becoming a savage jaguar's meal. Why? She could have just left me and repaid my 'kindness', but she helped me, cared about me, trusted me.

That's probably one of the reasons why I helped her.

Well, maybe not. When that big-horned bastard started talking down at her, claiming me being a fox automatically killed me as a witness, it all came back. Because I knew how it felt. To be stepped on, to be made to feel worthless, to be stereotyped for what you were. So I helped her. I spoke to that Ox in a way I would quite possibly think he would kill me for. But I won, I managed to shut his fat mouth up.

Then I told Judy my story.

It wasn't easy. I'd locked away the pain for so long, opening it up again tore at my heart. But she listened, told me I was so much more than an untrustworthy fox, and placed her paw on my arm.

That touch… I don't know why, but her touch burned away the painful memories and replaced them with the feeling that I'd always told myself didn't, shouldn't, exist for a creature like me.

Love.

It was crazy, I was actually beginning to feel _something_ for this bunny. Maybe it was because I'd never been treated this way for so long, but I actually felt myself wanting to be with this rabbit. And the more time we spent together, the more the feeling grew. Judy didn't just seem like another animal, she stuck out to me.

She glowed like a fire.

Then that fire went out.

Those words at the press conference pierced through my soul. This bunny really was just like everyone else, just another animal that saw me as another predator. I never felt rage like that before, it burned and boiled in my stomach and came out my mouth in words of venom. She tricked me, fooled me into thinking someone actually cared about me. How dare she!

I didn't cry until I got back to my apartment. I'd let that rabbit see my fury, but she wasn't gonna see my tears. After I walked through my door I broke down. Screaming, choking, weeping. I smashed my bathroom mirror, disgusted at the thing that bunny had turned me into.

A pathetic, venerable pup.

I didn't smile once in the days that followed. Finnick asked me about my state countless time, each question responded with "I'm fine. Get back to work!". 'Fine' was something I definitely wasn't. I spent each night crying myself to sleep, and every morning waking up to the thought of her beside me. The only thing I'd had left of her was that carrot pen, the very thing that caused me to work with her in the first place.

I should have crushed it. Destroyed the evidence, of me and her, smashed the only physical memory of her. Then I could move on, forget her, go back to living my life as a con-man.

But I couldn't…

I didn't want to move on…

I didn't want to forget…

I only wanted her back…

And so she did.

She came back apologising, begging me to help her solve the case again. I was overjoyed to see her again…but I didn't know. How did I know she wouldn't break my heart again? Then I heard the tears, the pain, in her voice, and I knew she was telling the truth. And then she said those words.

' _I really am just a dumb bunny!'_

And I played those words over, and over again. I embraced her, noticing and relishing her scent of roses, and we went off, ready to save the city.

At the museum, I became what I'd never wanted to be. A savage predator. It was pretend of course, but I worried that Judy would see me like that and truly think I was like one of those monsters. Good God, I really am dumber than I look.

Because I when I advanced on her, in my savage façade, I didn't see any fear, disgust, or horror. I only saw trust. That's why I love her, because I only have to look into her eyes to know that she sees me for I am, not what I am.

Now I'm a cop, her partner, and every day I can look at her. See her smile, hear her voice, feel her warmth. I owe everything to her, and she'll never know how truly grateful I am for her. All I can do is stay by her side as her partner, her best friend, and quietly thank her for what she's given to me.

Thank you Judy Hopps.

Thank you for believing in me.

Thank you for giving me a reason to live again.

Thank you for being a part of my life.

Thank you Judy Hopps. Thank you.


	2. Chapter 2

I hated him.

When I first met him, when he was being rejected and insulted by that elephant, I thought he was just a wonderful father who was being prejudiced for being what he was. I knew what it was like, to be treated like something small and insignificant because of my species. That's why I helped him, stood up for him, because I thought I was doing the right thing. Because I thought I'd found proof that my parents were wrong about foxes being nothing but despicable, untrustworthy creatures.

Then he dropped the façade, and my parents were proven right.

He truly was an awful, shifty creature. He insulted me, told me I would never be a real cop, tried to shatter my dreams and leave them scattered in my aching mind. And the worst part, was for a while, I actually thought he was right.

From the moment I stepped into the station, I felt the stares of other officers. I heard their scoffs and chuckles, as they looked at the tiny little bunny who was actually trying to be a big time cop. Even my parents, god that phone call I got on after my first day, they had no trouble downsizing my dreams and sharing in that _fox's_ belief that I wasn't a real cop. It hurt so much. What parents do that? Crush their daughters dreams and tell her she's nothing. I told myself that they were just 'old-fashioned', didn't live to become something other than what they were told they were. Didn't understand that you could be what you wanted to be.

But I couldn't kill the thought that they were right.

When I got the Otterton case, I was overjoyed-sure I was putting my entire career on the line and no officer was going to help me-but it didn't matter. I finally had the chance to prove myself, and I wasn't going to let it slip by.

Then my lead, my only lead, led me back to _him._

Oh God, the look on his face was priceless. The shock, the fear, the disbelief. I relished on the fact that he, one of the creatures thought to be the most cunning, had been tricked by me, one of the creatures thought to be the most idiotic. I had him where I wanted him, and I was gonna enjoy dragging him through the whole case.

Or…so I thought.

Turns out that fox was hell-bent on wasting every minute I had to solve this case. And he was _loving_ it. He was destroying my dream and laughing about it. Every second I spent with him, I felt my hatred for him grow and grow. The mere sight of him was beginning to disgust me. He was like everything I had been told his kind were times ten! Untrustworthy + Deceitful + Cruel = FOX!

So why did I save him?

Because deep down, I never wanted him dead. There were parts of him I was growing to admire: his intelligence, his wit, his Charm-Okay! I think I've said enough. The minute that thought crept into my mind, I knew I was going crazy. This fox was anything but charming, he'd done nothing but slow me down and made me feel the prejudice towards his kind that I'd never wished to feel.

But he didn't deserve to die.

And I didn't deserve his help.

When Bogo looked down at me. Disregarding me, insulting me, demanding my badge. It was…awful. I had nothing to back up my true statements, and that left Bogo free to assume what he wished. Nick could have left me, let me be fired, go back to his life of making $200 a day. I had done nothing but gotten him in danger after all.

But he helped me.

He stood up to Bogo, an animal three times his size, and scolded them. Saying the words, I'd kept hidden away, how they'd set up the whole case in their favour just so they wouldn't have a bunny on their _perfect_ team. Then he called me an Officer and…genuinely smiled at me.

That's when he told me his story.

And my hatred was replaced with love.

I don't know what it was. Maybe it was because of how vulnerable he looked, pouring his secrets-his heart-out to me. Maybe it was because he was the only one who had stood up for my dream since I'd moved to that damn city. Or maybe I'd always felt it. Maybe I'd always noticed how his gorgeous red fur seemed to glow like a fire, in the rays of the sun. How his eyes shone like emeralds in the moonlight. How his smile made me feel nauseous-in a good way-and always got me smiling back.

Whatever it was, I felt connected with Nick, I wanted him near me every minute of my life. I wanted him by my side, even after the case was over.

That's why I offered him the job. The look on his face was amazing, the shock, the joy, the trust. I was so happy, I wanted him-needed him- by me. He wasn't just another animal.

He was my friend.

…A friend I was scared of.

It disgusts me when I think back to what I said at the press conference. Why did I say it? I had no reason to distrust predators…but, deep down, I was still terrified of them. Prey instincts, I guess.

His face, God, it hurt me. The joy was replaced by rage, the trust gone, with betrayal instead taking place. The shock was still there, the shock of me hurting him like that. I should have kept my mouth shut, everything I said just burned his fury even more. And when I reached for that _damn_ repellent, the look of disgust on his face nearly brought me to tears.

And I deserved it all.

I had destroyed the city. Hatred ran amok in the streets, prey turning against predator in fits of hateful assumptions, caused by my words. But animals still passed me off as a hero, oblivious to the heartache and discord I had caused for the city. I should have been happy, I finally was seen as a real cop. But…now I didn't want it so much, not at the cause of so much suffering.

But what killed me most, was how I'd never be able to tell Nick I was sorry. I could never tell him I wanted him in my life. I would never see his smile, hear his laugh, hold him close.

Even as I got on the train to leave the city, I still imagined Nick behind me, telling me not to go. But when I turned I didn't see the fox I cared so much for, only the chaos in the city I had created.

Then I finally found out about the night howlers, and I rushed back to right my wrongs. But I still needed him, so I tracked down Finnick and he immediately told me where Nick was. After hours of calling out his name, I came to that bridge. The bridge where underneath his beautiful face was visible. I can never explain the joy that came over me when I saw him, it was like fireworks exploding inside my gut painting me with their glorious colours.

But he walked away, not even looking me in the eye.

What did I expect. I _did_ deserve it.

I burst out sobbing, begging, apologising. I told him how much I needed him, how he was right about how I was just a dumb bunny, how I had betrayed him and killed our friendship. Everything I had kept bottled inside for the past few days…well except for one thing.

I never told him how much I loved him.

Before I could sob that out, I was interrupted by my own voice, playing over and over again. Then he turned round with that smile, I had fallen in love with, on his face and I knew I was forgiven. I couldn't stop the tears from flowing as I embraced him, and happily sobbed into his chest. He wrapped his arms round me, holding me close to the warmth of his body. A warmth almost as powerful as the warmth in my heart. I finally had him back. I had my best friend by my side again.

At the museum, when he advanced on me in his savage pretend, I didn't once feel scared. I trusted him, and I only had to look into his eyes, his beautiful eyes, to know that I was in no danger. When he softly clamped his jaws on my throat, I didn't feel fear-I was far too busy trying to stop myself from blissfully moaning for that.

Now everything is what I wanted, what it needs to be. I'm accepted as an officer, with kids even stopping me in the street for an autograph. The city is at peace again, predator and prey living among each other peacefully. And best of all…

I have the one I love as my partner.

Every day I am able to hear his cocky jokes, see his sly smile, feel his arms around my shoulder. I love him, God I love him. He was the one who stuck with me until the very end-even though he was forced at the Beginning-He was the one believed that I could prove myself as more than just a bunny. I am so lucky to have him in my life.

Thank you for pushing me to the end, Nicholas Wilde.

Thank you for helping me show the world we were something better.

Thank you for being in my life.

Thank you, Nick.

Thank you.

 **Ah, I never really planned on making a second chapter to this story. But luckily** _ **Monkey D. Conan**_ **gave me a good idea on how to continue. So Thank you very much, good sir. This Chapter is dedicated to you.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I don't own Zootopia or its characters. (Wish I did, though)**


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